IUBio

Bacteria...?

Tony Stott tony.stott at med.monash.edu.au
Thu Sep 21 23:40:37 EST 1995


esamson at ix.netcom.com (Ethan Samson ) wrote:
>I am a high school student in an introductory biology class.  Here is
>my problem:
>
>I was given three flasks of a carbohydrate broth.  One flask was
>sealed, one had a straight tube that went into it, and one had a "w"
>shaped tube that went into it.  My question is, if I leave these three
>flasks out in the classroom, will there be anything living in them when
>I pick them back up in a week?  The one with the straight tube is
>getting cloudy and the one with the "w" shaped tube is a little less
>murky.  The sealed flask is basically the same.  What could be
>happening in these tubes?  Can anyone tell me?  Is there bacteria
>growing in them?  If so, what kind? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reply!
>
>if you do wish to reply, here is my adress:  Esamson at ix.netcom.com   
>
>
>I *really* would appreciate any information you have.  
>thanks in advance.  Do your good deed of the day, help a lowly biology
>student!

Go to your nearest good library, get hold of a decent general 
microbiology text and look up Louis Pasteur - he devised this experiment 
with "swan-necked" flasks when the controversy over spontaneous 
generation was raging in the late 19th century

-- 
Tony Stott                      | When you have eliminated the
Department of Microbiology      | impossible, whatever remains must,
Monash University               | however improbable, be the truth.
Clayton  Vic.  3168             | 
Australia                       | Sherlock Holmes
tony.stott at med.monash.edu.au    | (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)





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